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Fond of Tigers’ second album, Release the Saviours
is an ambitious and focused synthesis of mathy freakouts, off-kilter jazz,
ambient sound sculpture, abstract improvisation, and a rare feel for making
music that is both challenging and highly listenable. Much of the ecstatic
intensity on Release the Saviours comes from the group’s self-immolating
interest in unusual rhythmic and melodic structure, as well as instrumental
arrangements that are the sonic equivalent of roller derby and jai-alai
played simultaneously in a racquetball court. But even when some parts
sound like the band has split into teams and angrily squared off against
each other, the attentive listener is rewarded—after some suspense—as
the parts come do at last come together, the music as joyful as it is
visceral.
Fond of Tigers have been developing a complicated, beautiful sound since
2003. Led by guitarist Stephen Lyons and featuring seven
of Vancouver’s leading creative musicians, Fond of Tigers play a
layered, nuanced music that explores musical possibilities ranging from
the smallest gesture of extended technique, to the full avant-rock bombast
possible with a wild, double-drum-kit-led septet. Although admitting that
“jazz purists will find little to comfort them”, Coda magazine
named the group’s debut recording, a thing to live with (also on
Drip Audio) “one of the best releases of 2006”. In just under
50 minutes, the band (variously described in print as "compelling",
"eclectic", "transcendent", "hypnotic",
and "post-everything") showcased their visceral combination
of meticulous odd-time composition and improvisational abandon, resulting
in a sometimes confusing, always exhilarating ordered chaos. With a passionate
and adventurous live performance that has been descrived as “mind-blowing”
by numerous reviewers, Fond of Tigers has shared stages with artists such
as Tortoise, Chad Vangaalen, Xiu Xiu, Polmo Polpo, and Frog Eyes, while
members of Fond of Tigers have collaborated with NoMeansNo’s Rob
Wright, Eugene Chadbourne, Fred Frith, Great Aunt Ida, Ches Smith (Secret
Chiefs 3), Joe Fonda, and many others. Fond of Tigers’ intense and
idiosyncratic sound inhabits an undefined musical territory somewhere
in the outlands of avant-rock.
Press:
"...prog, post-rock, or jazz -- whatever you want to call this, it
rarely sounds this pretty, this expressive, this emotional, this bracing."
- CokeMachineGlow
"...a beacon of hope in a year plagued by an excess of dull music."
- Tiny Mix Tapes
"There's a kaleidoscope of pleasure
to be had following Fond Of Tigers plot their course." - Wire
"...a rare treat in todays pre-fab
pop scene." - The Province
"...surely one of Canada's loudest
bands in any genre..." - Eye Weekly (****
Stars)
"...Release The Saviours ups the ante on the aggressive two drum
kit-powered prog of their first album ..." - Exclaim!
Magazine
"...unmolested chaos." - Now Magazine
(**** Stars)
"...Release the Saviours
is a must for 2008." - All Music Guide
Q&A:
NOW Magazine (Sept. 2008)
Album
Review: All Music Guide
Album
Review: Tiny Mix Tapes (Scroll Down A Bit!)
Album
Review: CokeMachineGlow
Album
Review: Paris Transatlantic Magazine
Concert
Preview: The Georgia Straight
Album
Review: Free Jazz
Album
Review: Left Hip Magazine
Concert
Preview: Echo Weekly
Album
Review: The Silent Ballet
2008
Preview: The Uniter
Album
Review: Eye Weekly (Scroll down a bit!)
Album
Review: textura.org
Album
Review: NOW Magazine (Toronto)
Exclaim!
Magazine: Destination Out/Year In Review (Bottom Of Page)
Album
Review: The Province
Links:
fondoftigers.com
myspace.com/fondoftigers
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